A University Academic Leadership Forum for the University Community with Provost and Deans will take place on Thursday, Sept. 17, 4:05 to 5:05 p.m. in Gamble Hall, Room 7.

Their will be a discussion of some key items that are likely to be of interest to a large segment of our University community, followed by an open question-and-answer period during which the audience is invited to ask questions of the Provost and the Deans on matters relating to the University’s academic mission. Agenda topics for the initial session will include:
• continuity of academic instruction under pandemic flu conditions (and other emergencies)
• strategic prioritizing within the University
[submission of questions in advance would be helpful in preparing for the forum. They can be e-mailed to conniegagelin@mail.und.nodak.edu]

The Deans and the Provost will be experimenting this year with some ways to enhance communication and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the decisionmaking process. One element being introduced is the University Academic Leadership Forum.

The Forum will be an opportunity for all members of the UND community, faculty, students, staff, and administrators, to bring to the Provost and the Deans any questions, suggestions, concerns or comments about the way in which the University is fulfilling its academic mission, and for the academic leadership to share information and ideas.

Because the State Board of Higher Education is meeting on campus the day of the first Forum, the members of the Board and the Chancellor of the North Dakota University System have been invited to observe the inaugural session.

The University Academic Leadership Forum is not intended to replace the work of the University Senate, which remains the campus-wide policymaking body with authority delegated from the President and the University Council.

The University Academic Leadership Forum is also not intended to be a substitute for a robust academic governance process where issues are appropriately addressed within the programs, departments, schools, and colleges.

The plan is for a Forum to be held twice a semester, once near the beginning and again near the end of the semester. The first of the sessions can help to inform the topics that need to be addressed during the semester, with the second being a progress/status report on issues that have been raised.

On behalf of the Provost’s Office and the Deans, we look forward to your participation in this and future sessions of our new University Academic Leadership Forum.
-- Provost and Deans

The Study Abroad Fair is set for Wednesday, Sept. 16, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Loading Dock in the Memorial Union. All are welcome to attend. For more details, go to the Study Abroad web site at www.studyabroad.und.edu.-- Jane Sykes Wilson, Education Abroad Advisor, Office of International Programs, janesykeswilson@mail.und.edu, 777-4756

UND law professor Gregory Gordon is in the Netherlands to present his article “Complementarity and Alternative Justice” at an international law conference in Hague. The article was selected from a large number of submissions from around the world for presentation on Sept. 16 at the “The International Criminal Court (ICC) and Complementarity - From Theory to Practice” conference.

The conference includes presentations from Gordon and several other renowned international criminal law experts, including Luis Moreno Ocampo, ICC chief prosecutor; Christopher Hall, senior legal adviser for Amnesty International; and David Tolbert, registrar of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.

The conference is being organized by the Grotius Center for International Legal Studies of Leiden University in the Hague. It will take place at the Peace Palace, home of the International Court of Justice and the Permanent Court of Arbitration, and at the Leiden University campus.

Gordon’s article on complementarity proposes a new test for admission of cases to the ICC when domestic jurisdictions seek to use alternative justice mechanisms, such as truth commissions and tribal rituals, in lieu of traditional criminal investigation and prosecution. Complementarity is the principle which awards primacy of jurisdiction to a country's domestic courts unless the ICC determines the state unwilling or unable genuinely to prosecute. Gordon also will present the article at the University of Missouri next month and has been invited to present it next year at Manchester University, United Kingdom. It has been accepted for publication in the Oregon Law Review next spring.

Gordon, a former prosecutor with the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the U.S. Department of Justice, has written extensively on international criminal law and procedures. His article “Toward an International Criminal Procedure: Due Process Aspirations and Limitations” appeared in the Columbia Journal of Transnational Law and has been used by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia as training material for incoming prosecutors, investigators, and interns. At the end of October, Gordon is slated to deliver a lecture in Rwanda, Africa on the subject of universal jurisdiction in atrocity cases.-- Juan Pedraza, Writer/Editor, University Relations, juanpedraza@mail.und.edu, 777-6571

"Be Well": Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2 to 3 p.m. at the Wellness Center - Room 121. BCBS session about the two new wellness programs: MyHealthCenter and the Health Club Credit. Register through U2.

"Lunch with a Dietitian: An Apple a Day is Not Enough": Monday, Sept. 21, 12:10 to 12:50 p.m., Badlands Room - Memorial Union. You will learn about the proper daily recommendations for fruits and vegetables, why they are good for you and easy ways to incorporate them in your everyday lives. Register through U2. Seats are limited.

"An Apple a Day is Not Enough": Tuesday, Sept. 22, 5 to 6 p.m., Badlands Room - Memorial Union. You will learn about the proper daily recommendations for fruits and vegetables, why they are good for you and easy ways to incorporate them in your everyday lives. Register through U2.

"Weight Watchers at Work Information Session": Wednesday, Sept. 23, 10 to 11 a.m., Lecture Bowl at the Memorial Union. Anyone is welcome to attend: staff, students, faculty and spouses. Learn how to gain peer support and weigh-in easily at the job. Can't make the session, but still interested? Contact Kim (777-0210) to get on a list serv for more information.

"Exercise with Mandy: Abs and Back": Tuesday, Sept. 29, 12:10 to 12:50 p.m., Wellness Center - rooms 272-274. You will learn some fun and effective exercises to build a strong midsection. We will discuss proper technique, number of repetitions and how often to complete your abs and back workout for best results. Register to hold a spot by calling Kim at 777-0210. Forty spots available

"Health Screening": Wednesday, Sept. 30, 7 to 10 a.m., Clifford Hall, room 220. Open to all UND benefited and non-benefited staff and faculty. Register for a 15-minute appointment at 777-0210 (Kim) by Sept. 29. You will need to fast 12 hours prior to the test. We will measure: Body mass index, cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure.

Attend any four Work Well activities between Sept. and Dec. 31 and earn a chance for a $100 gift card and MyHealthCenter points. You will receive a wallet size card at each session.

Ping Yang, professor with the Department of Atmospheric Sciences at Texas A&M University will present a seminar on "The Single Scattering and Radiative Transfer Processes in the Atmosphere" on Thursday, Sept. 17, at 3 p.m. in 210 Clifford Hall.

The existence of all life forms on this or any other planet depends on radiation being scattered and absorbed by both the gaseous molecules and particulate matters (e.g., water droplets, ice crystals and aerosol particles) in the atmosphere and the solid surfaces that comprise it. If we are to tackle the formidable problems facing us such as climate change induced by both anthropogenic and natural processes then we must have a thorough understanding of this most important subject and that includes its history. These same processes are also fundamental to many other disciplines such as bio-optics, astrophysics, and reactor theory.

In this talk, we will review the history and evolution of these topics. Specifically, we will review the contributions by Clebsch, Lorenz, Mie, Debye and van de Hulst to the early development of the theory of light scattering by a sphere, and some recent developments in the numerical approaches (e.g., the DDA, FDTD and T-matrix methods) for solving for the optical properties of nonspherical and inhomogeneous particles, as well as research efforts on invisibility cloaking. Additionally, we will also illustrate the important implications of particle nonsphericity in climate study and remote sensing. In the review of the development of radiative transfer theory, we will focus on the early contributions by Lommel, Chwolson, Schuster, Eddington, Ambartsumian, and Chandrasekhar, just to mention a few. Of all the "giants" who had worked in this area, the person whose work has been more inspirational to others, including us, might be the Nobel Laureate, Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar.-- Wanda Seyler, Administrative Secretary, Atmospheric Sciences, seyler@aero.und.edu, 777-3884

Michael Fronda of McGill University will give an inaugural Cyprus Research Fund lecture Thursday, Sept. 17, at 4 p.m. in the East Asia Room of the Chester Fritz Library on the UND campus.

Fronda will examine the growth of Roman power in the ancient world by focusing on how the city of Rome came to dominate the Italian Peninsula. Through an innovative use of contemporary international relations theory, Professor Fronda argues that Rome capitalized on the tendency for ancient state relations to be anarchic on the one hand, but in some way limited by enduring rivalries between particular states on the other. Rome's ability to exploit these fundamental characteristics of ancient, and perhaps all, states led ultimately to the city's domination of Italy and provided important lessons for the city's conquest of the Mediterranean world.

There will also be a brown-bag lecture on Friday at noon in 228 O'Kelly Hall, where Fronda will present some of his work on Latin inscriptions with an emphasis on how little texts can illuminate substantial historical problems.

Fronda was invited to speak at UND by assistant professor of history Bill Caraher. Caraher maintains active research interests in survey archaeology, as the co-director of Pyla-Koutsopetria Archaeological Project in Cyprus and participates in the continued archaeological research associated with the Eastern Korinthia Archaeological Survey and the Ohio State Excavations at Isthmia.

Thanks to the generosity of the departments of History and Political Science, there will be a small reception after Thursday's lecture. The small reception will feature several photographs by Ryan Stander, an MFA student who served as our artist-in-residence in Cyprus this past summer. His works are a preview to a proper exhibition slated for this winter.

In addition to history, the College of Arts and Sciences offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs and certificates in a variety of traditional and emerging disciplines in the arts, sciences, social sciences, and humanities. Students are challenges to work alongside faculty and within the community to explore and expand the boundaries of knowledge and their own creativity. The research, scholarship, and creative activities of the nationally and internationally recognized faculty enhance teaching and learning, as well as contribute to the expansion of the work's knowledge base.
-- Arts and Sciences

Liang Hui, a graduate student in the department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Therapeutics, will present a seminar titled "Role of endosomes/lysosomes in HIV-1 protein Tat-induced neurotoxicity" on Friday, Sept. 18, at 2 p.m. in the School of Medicine, Room 3933.

Daniel Johnston, Ph.D, and Karl S. Folkers, Chair in Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research and professor, department of Neurobiology at the University of Texas at Austin, will present a seminar titled "Plasticity of dentritic excitability" on Friday, Sept. 25, at 2 p.m. in the School of Medicine, room 3933.

This seminar series is sponsored by the Center of Biomedical Research Excellence, Pathophysiological Signaling in Neurodegenerative Disorders, and the Department of Pharmacology, Physiology & Therapeutics. All are welcome to attend.-- Deb Kroese, Administrative Officer, Pharmacology, Physiology & Therapeutics, dkroese@medicine.nodak.edu, 777-6221

A guiding teacher of the Insight Meditation Community of Colorado will lead a retreat hosted by the Lotus Meditation Center on the UND campus. David Chernikoff will share his teachings on radical intimacy through dharma talks, meditation instruction and small group interviews the weekend of Sept. 18-20. The opening talk from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18, is free and open to the public. Sept. 14 is the pre-registration date to attend the entire weekend retreat. For more details and a copy of the brochure visit the Lotus Meditation Center website at http://www.und.edu/dept/oip/html/lotusctr.htm or call Kristen Borysewicz at 777-4647.

Chernikoff teaches meditation and transpersonal psychology at Naropa University and has a private practice as a psychotherapist and spiritual counselor. He lived in Nepal for three years and has been influenced by a variety of spiritual teachers from diverse traditions.-- Kristen Borysewicz, Reference Librarian, Chester Fritz Library, kristenborysewicz@mail.und.edu, 777-4647

The Greater Grand Forks Community Theatre presents "Bright Ideas," Eric Cobel's gleeful, Macbeth-ian black comedy about the nurturing instinct gone haywire. The production runs Sept. 17-19 and 24-26 at 7:30 p.m., with Sunday Matinees Sept. 13 and 20 at 2 p.m. All productions are at the Fire Hall Theatre in Downtown Grand Forks.

How far would you go for your child? For Genevra (Marie Strinden) and Joshua (Todd Chrzanowski) Bradley, the question is no longer hypothetical. Their three-year-old son, Mac, is next on the waiting list to get into the Bright Ideas Early Childhood Development Academy (despite the fact they registered him the day he was born), and everyone knows once you’re in there, your life will unfold with glorious ease.

Believe it or not: "A recent headline from Bloomberg News announced, "Manhattan Preschools Become Harder to Get Into Than Harvard"; an article in The New York Sun proclaimed, "Preschool Directors Balk at Toddler Resumes"; ABC's Nightline aired a two-part series, "Exclusive: Inside the Cutthroat Preschool Wars"; and the documentary film, "Nursery University", tracked five sets of parents as they applied to top New York nursery schools known as feeder schools to top primary schools, which feed into top high schools, which will get you into Harvard, Yale, Princeton or Columbia, and eventual positions of power around the world.

Everyone knows that attending a prestigious preschool is one’s ticket to a successful future and shining career; if he doesn’t get in, he’s doomed to a life of misery. So the fretting couple takes matters into their own hands, with dire and downright Shakespearean results. Macbeth meets MacParenting in this wickely funny comedy of homicidal proportions. You may never look at preschool, or pesto, the same way again. Rounding out the cast are Jenny Morris, Rebecca Olson, and Cory Carivau.

Don't forget that in conjunction with State Employee Recognition Week, this coming Friday, Sept. 18, is a Special Denim Day, which will benefit the Salvation Army's "Christmas Toy Shop". The Toy Shop has delivered toys at Christmas for over 15 years and last year supported 697 children in our area. If you are donating by check, please make it payable to "Salvation Army".-- Patsy Nies, Special Project Assistant, Enrollment Services, patsynies@mail.und.nodak.edu, 777-3791

UND ITSS is scheduling a partial power outage on Saturday, Sept. 19. The outage will be from 4 a.m. to 2 p.m. An electrical panel in the machine room needs to be upgraded, and this will affect U-mail, GroupWise (not Aerospace), Blackboard and High Performance Computing. If you have any questions contact the ITSS Help Desk at 777-2222. We regret any inconvenience that may be caused by this and appreciate your patience as we work to improve our service.
-- ITSS, 777-2222, ITSSHelp@mail.und.nodak.edu

The Blackboard System will be unavailable Sept. 19, from 4 a.m. to 2 p.m., for an electrical panel upgrade in the campus datacenter. We anticipate the process taking less time and will notify users when the system is back up and running. This electrical upgrade will help to provide the highest quality of service to Blackboard users allowing future growth and stability.

Any activities on the Blackboard system should be rescheduled or alternate plans should be made. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact us at 777-6305.
-- Blackboard Services, Center for Instructional & Learning Technologies, 777-2129, blackboard@mail.und.edu

The North Valley Arts Council and the Greater Grand Forks Convention and Visitors Bureau are pleased to present the Art & Wine Walk on Saturday, Sept. 19 from 1 to 5 p.m. in downtown Grand Forks and East Grand Forks. The Walk takes place on the third Saturday of the month, May through October.

Stroll through downtown and view artwork by local artists at galleries, restaurants, and other business that serve wine or other non-alcoholic refreshment. Most artwork is available for sale, and artists will be on-hand to discuss their work. The Art & Wine Walk is a great way to experience downtown Grand Forks and East Grand Forks, view artwork by regional artists, and learn about the many and varied businesses downtown.

The Art & Wine Walk begins at the Blue Moose Bar & Grill in East Grand Forks or GuestHouse International in Grand Forks. Maps can be purchased for $10 at either location. At participating businesses, maps will be stamped (wine consumption is not required to receive a stamp). Maps can be turned in at the closing reception at the Empire Arts Center to enter a drawing for a gift basket of prizes donated by participating businesses. The closing reception will also feature a champagne tasting, sponsored by Happy Harry’s Bottle Shops.

To participate in the Art & Wine Walk, visit the Blue Moose Bar & Grill in East Grand Forks or the GuestHouse International in Grand Forks between 1 and 4 p.m. to purchase a map. A champagne tasting, sponsored by Happy Harry’s Bottle Shops, will take place at 5 p.m. at the Empire Arts Center. Patrons over 21 will receive a wristband, allowing participation in wine tasting. Children under 12 accompanied by an adult receive free admission.

To learn more about the Art & Wine Walk, visit www.culturepulse.org. To participate as a hosting business or an exhibiting artist, please contact the North Valley Arts Council at 777-6120 or info@novac.org.-- Nicole Derenne, Executive Director, North Valley Arts Council, info@novac.org, 701-772-3710

You are cordially invited to attend the North Dakota Women's Health Connection.

The Department of Family & Community Medicine's National Center of Excellence in Women's Health will host our annual Women's Health Connection on Saturday, Sept. 19 at the UND Memorial Union. The free event, "Nourishing Your Body and Soul," runs from 8 a.m. to noon. Free parking will be available in designated areas.

Grand Forks' native Patty Purpur, a nationally recognized health and fitness expert, will deliver the keynote address. The Women's Health Connection is a life-affirming and educational experience for women and girls, 10 years and older, to learn more about how best to take care of themselves. This year’s breakout sessions include bone health, nutrition, legal health, dance, and the spirit.

Purpur exemplifies an extraordinary commitment to fitness and health, personally and professionally. Patty was a state champion athlete at Red River High School in Grand Forks and at Stanford University where she went on to become an Olympic Trials discus qualifier and nine-time NCAA All-American track athlete. Among many other activities, Patty currently serves on the California Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.

Numerous sponsors and exhibitors will be on hand at booths to distribute information and answer participants' questions. Door prizes and complimentary tote bags will be presented to the first 300 registrants. A continental breakfast will be provided.

A. John MacLennan, associate professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology at the University of Cincinnati, will present a seminar entitled “Ciliary neurotrophic factor receptor signaling and the neuromuscular system” at noon on Monday, Sept. 21, in the School of Medicine & Health Sciences, Room 5510. All are welcome to attend.-- Bonnie Kee, Administrative Assistant, Anatomy and Cell Biology, bkee@medicine.nodak.edu, 777-2102

The Honorable Aharon Barak, former president (chief justice) of the Supreme Court of Israel, will deliver the distinguished Oscar and Amelia Fode Memorial Law Lecture at the UND School of Law, Monday, Sept. 21, 4 p.m., in the Baker Courtroom. Justice Barak's presentation is free and open to the public.

Prior to his appointment to the Supreme Court, Barak served as Israel’s attorney general. In 1978, he was appointed justice of the Supreme Court of Israel, where he served as president (or chief justice, in U.S. terms) from August 1995 until his retirement in September 2006. Barak has remained active in academia through an ongoing teaching relationship with the Hebrew University, serving as a lecturer, professor and dean of the law school. He is now a visiting professor at Yale Law School.

The Fode lecture brings prominent international legal experts to the UND School of Law. The lecture was created by family members in loving memory of Oscar and Amelia Fode because of their lifelong interest in education and in the young people of North Dakota.

The Fodes were prominent in business in Jamestown, North Dakota. They began an automobile business known as Midwest Motors there in 1929, subsequently establishing Midwest Credit Co., Midwest Machine Co., Midwest Insurance Co., and Dakota Sales and Service which Oscar continued to operate until his death in 1971. Amelia passed away in 1961.-- Juan Pedraza, Writer/Editor, University Relations, juanpedraza@mail.und.edu, 777-6571

Professors, researchers, and students should take advantage of one of two free technical sessions that will demonstrate how you can write more efficient code in MATLAB(r) and introduce Parallel Computing with MATLAB. There will be two sessions held on Tuesday, Sept. 22. The same agenda will be presented at both:

An extensive strategic planning process for information technology, led by CIO Josh Riedy in Fall 2008, resulted in the identification of critical Core Technology Services. This fall, the Office of the CIO will again host a series of open forums to develop solutions, cost, sustainability and implementation for these core technology services. In this next phase we again ask for your valuable input as the success of this process requires the active involvement and partnered decision-making from across campus. All forums will be broadcast live and recorded. Please see the UND CIO website http://cio.und.edu for more information. Online surveys will also be available for additional feedback from the campus community.

Please plan to attend the next forum on Faculty and Staff Unified Communication Services (e-mail, IM, voice, video and collaboration) in the River Valley Room on Tuesday, Sept. 22 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. If you have any questions please contact Mike Lefever at michaellefever@mail.und.edu or 777-2030.
-- CIO Office.

UND Athletics will host National Anthem Tryouts on Tuesday, Sept. 22, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Ralph Engelstad Arena. If you are interested in trying out, you must pre-register by going to www.fightingsioux.com and clicking on the National Anthem Tryouts tab under Athletics. If you have questions about the event, please contact Alex Burbach.-- Alex Burbach, Sales & Marketing Specialist, Athletics, alexburbach@mail.und.edu, 777-2794

The final examination for Desiree Jagow-France, a candidate for the Ph.D. degree with a major in Counseling Psychology, is set for 1 p.m., Sept. 24, in 318 Montgomery Hall. The dissertation title is "Domestic Violence Survivors Experience of a Psycho-Educational Career Group: A Qualitative Study." Kara Wettersten (Counseling Psychology & Community Services) is the committee chair.

The annual Essential Studies Revalidation workshop will be held from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 25, at the River Valley Room in the Memorial Union. This workshop is hosted by the Essential Studies Committee for the departments who are on the revalidation timetable for 2009-10. Members from these departments, including chairs and faculty who routinely offer courses up for revalidation, are strongly encouraged to attend. Other departments, who may want to prepare for their revalidations in future years or simply want to learn more about the revalidation process, are also invited. All faculty members with interest in Essential Studies, and especially those who teach courses included within the ES program, are also invited to attend.-- Mary Coleman, Assistant Professor, Pathology, mcoleman@medicine.nodak.edu, 777-2652

Norwegian artist Helge Skanlund to exhibit works at the Chester Fritz Library

The works of Norwegian artist Helge Skånlund will be featured in an exhibition at the Chester Fritz Library Sept. 29 through Oct. 2. The exhibit will be open for viewing in Chester Fritz Library, room 202, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 29, through Thursday, Oct. 1, and will close at noon on Friday, Oct. 2. A reception for the exhibit will be held in the Chester Fritz Library East Asian Room at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 29. Mr. Skånlund will present a short talk about his work at 7 p.m.

Helge Skånlund is recognized internationally for his paintings of Norwegian landscapes and his lithography. His works have been exhibited in Norway, Europe and North America. Skånlund’s art has been accepted at the noted Norwegian exhibitions, "Statens Høstutstilling" and "Østlandsutstillingen." While in Grand Forks, he will exhibit 16 paintings and four graphic works. Skånlund was born in Kristiansand, Norway, and has worked in Canada as well as Norway. The artist currently lives in Sarpsborg, Norway, the sister city to Grand Forks.

The exhibit is part of a series of activities involving Norwegian artists and dignitaries visiting Grand Forks during the week of Sept. 28. In addition to Skånlund’s exhibition, Norwegian trumpet impresario Kai Roberts and his daughter will provide a tribute at the opening of the exhibit. Mr. Odd Einar Dørum, member of the Norwegian Storting and minister in the Norwegian government, will give a public lecture on Tuesday, Sept. 29, at 5 p.m. in Gamble Hall on the UND campus. Everyone is invited to the Library reception and the grand opening of the exhibit following his talk.

All events are sponsored by the UND Nordic Initiative and the Chester Fritz Library. Nordic Initiative goals include the promotion of a greater understanding of Norwegian language, culture and history; facilitation of research and economic development; and growth of exchange programs to further the understanding and appreciation of the ties between the people of North Dakota and Norway.

The UND department of Physics and Astrophysics will be celebrating the International Year of Astronomy 2009 by holding an astronomy and astrophysics public talk, along with a telescope observing session on Tuesday, Sept. 29, at 7 p.m. in 116 Witmer Hall. The talk, "Dark Side of the Universe", will be presented by Wayne Barkhouse (Physics and Astrophysics). Following the talk, attendees will be given the opportunity to observe the night sky through a telescope (weather permitting).-- Wayne Barkhouse, Assistant Professor, Physics & Astrophysics, wayne.barkhouse@und.edu, 777-3520

The Women's Center Meet, Eat and Learn will take place from noon to 1 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 30, at the International Centre (2908 University Ave). October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Staci, a survivor, will share her personal story of how dating violence has affected her life. Everyone is welcome, and lunch will be provided.-- Patty McIntyre, Program Associate, Women's Center, undwomenscenter@und.nodak.edu, 777-4300

The first Reflecting on Teaching seminar of the semester, “Reaching Beyond My Classroom: the Shift to a Learner Centered Institution?” will take place Wednesday, Sept. 30, from noon to 1 p.m. in the Red River Valley Room of the Memorial Union.

Although the question, “What is college for?” seems to have an obvious answer to us as teachers, it often feels like student learning is not an institutional priority. Do you ever wish you felt a stronger sense that a university is a place where learning matters most? By typical standards successful colleges are ones that fill classes, and increase enrollments. But what if we evaluated our success as a university in terms of learning outcomes, rather than quantity of instruction? In today’s world of research driven rankings, is it even feasible to place learning at the center of the academic enterprise?

John Tagg, featured keynote speaker for the Oct. 16 Reflecting on Teaching colloquium and author of an article we will be looking at in this session, argues it is not only feasible, but necessary. Tagg introduced the concept of the “learning paradigm college” in 2003. He defined such institutions as “producing learning” rather than “providing instruction,” and argued that “this shift changes everything.” Anne Kelsch (OID) and Joan Hawthorne (Assistant Provost) will start off this conversation with a look at what learning paradigm colleges look like, how well they accomplish their goals, and what challenges they face. After that, we will open the discussion to consider how changing the focus from instruction to learning might change both our classrooms and our university. We hope you’ll join the conversation as we think about our collective efforts to educate.

The final examination for Lynne Kovash, a candidate for the Ed.D. degree with a major in Educational Leadership, is set for 9 a.m., Sept. 30, in room 206, Education Building. The dissertation title is "School District Leadership: Systems, Strategies, and Structures." Sherryl Houdek (Educational Leadership) is the committee chair.

A meeting of the University Senate will be held on Thursday, Oct. 1, at 4:05 p.m. in Gamble Hall, Room 7. Agenda items for this meeting are due in the Office of the Registrar by noon, Thursday, Sept. 17. They may be submitted electronically to: lorihofland@mail.und.nodak.edu. It is recommended that some detail be included in the agenda items submitted.
-- Suzanne Anderson, Secretary, University Senate

The University Counseling Center will host an open house on Oct. 2, from 1 to 5 p.m. in McCannel, room 200, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Counseling Center. Dick Grosz, former UCC director, will be here at 2 p.m., when he will be honored for his years of service and many contributions to UND and the center. All current and former employees as well as friends of the Counseling Center are invited to this celebration.
-- Sandi Luck, Counseling Center, Sandiluck@mail.und.edu, 777-4188

The UND School of Law and the UND John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences are co-hosting a symposium titled “Complying & Flying: Legal and Technical Issues Related to Operating Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) in Law Enforcement.” The symposium takes place Oct. 8 and 9 to discuss issues related to UAS operations in law enforcement. All UND faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to attend; the symposium is free of charge.

The symposium will feature a presentation by award-winning author P.W. Singer on Thursday, Oct. 8, 5 p.m., in 210 Clifford Hall. Singer will talk about "War, Law, and Robots," with a reception and book signing to follow at the CanadInn.

Singer is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, one of Washington's oldest think tanks. He also directs the Institution's 21st Century Defense Initiative. Singer is the youngest scholar to be named a senior fellow in Brookings's 90-year history. Singer, a columnist on defense issues for the Washington Examiner, served as coordinator of the Obama-08 campaign’s defense policy task force. Singer is considered one of the world's leading experts on changing nature of war in the 21st century.

The Symposium begins in Clifford Hall 210 at 8 a.m., Oct. 8 and 9 with several breakout sessions on both days. Representative Earl Pomeroy will give a keynote address Thursday morning, and UND professors Doug Marshall and Joe Vacek will be presenting papers, along with several other renowned professors and experts in the field.

“The goal of the symposium is to bring experts together to address current troublesome issues and come up with a road map to move the industry forward" said Vacek, who teaches aviation law at UND Aerospace. For more information and to see the schedule, see www.uasresearch.org and click on "events.”-- Juan Pedraza, Writer/Editor, University Relations, juanpedraza@mail.und.edu, 777-6571

Come join us for an evening of poetry from around the world as it should be experienced - read aloud in the original language. The World Poetry Evening will take place at 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, in the River Valley Room of the Memorial Union.

Please contact Claudia Routon (claudia.routon@und.edu) or Heidi Czerwiec (heidi.czerwiec@und.edu) if you are interested in reading and for further information. The event is sponsored by the Department of Modern & Classical Languages & Literatures and the Department of English.
-- Claudia Routon, Modern & Classical Languages & Literatures

Two Faculty Study Seminars will be offered this fall. The seminars provide a means for faculty with common interests to learn more about a teaching-related topic. Each group meets four times a semester, at times mutually agreed to by participants, to read and discuss a teaching-related book (books provided by the Office of Instructional Development). The participant’s only obligation is to read and to show up for discussion.

To sign up for a FSS, e-mail the facilitator noted below with your contact information (e-mail and phone) and a copy of your fall semester schedule (noting the times you cannot meet). You will be contacted once an initial meeting date is set. For more information about FSS groups, contact Anne Kelsch at Anne.Kelsch@und.edu or 777-4233.

John Tagg, The Learning Paradigm College (Jossey-Bass, 2003). Tagg’s book begins with a simple but profound question: “What are colleges for?” Noting that typically “the successful college...is the one that fills classes with students and thus grows in enrollment,” Tagg advocates for a paradigm shift towards a learning centered environment that attends to students rather than classes and he documents how this is happening at some institutions. Tagg argues that to change our paradigm from teaching to learning is to view education through a new lens, “seeing” our work in a different light and having diverse experiences as we and our students interact to learn. Reviewers refer to The Learning Paradigm College as “one of the most important, provocative, and accessible works to have entered the higher education literature in many years,...it is broadly applicable to every postsecondary institution.” If you are interested in reading this book as part of a Faculty Study Seminar, contact Anne.Kelsch@und.edu or 777-4233.

Casanave, C.P. & Sosa, M. (2007). Respite for Teachers: Reflection and renewal in the teaching life. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. Casanave and Sosa's book is not designed to teach something new; instead, the purpose of the book is to inspire faculty to spend time reflecting on the joys and challenges of teaching and of connecting with students and colleagues. The authors cover a wide variety of diverse topics, including a comparison of teaching and musical groups, difficult students, fear and curiosity, grading, mentoring, solitude, as well as a chapter about students who "just don't seem to belong where they are." Most of these chapters are designed to both raise an important issue and inspire at the same time. One reviewer noted that while the book is accessible and avoids jargon and terminology it "is very much grounded in theory and does an excellent job encouraging ... teachers and researchers to think about how to reduce the gap between theory and research and classroom practice." If you are interested in reading this book as part of a Faculty Study Seminar, contact Scott.Baxter@und.edu or 777-6381.-- Anne Kelsch, Director, Office of Instructional Development, anne.kelsch@und.nodak.edu, 777-4233

• The text-editing feature allows formatted text (bold, bullets, color, etc.) and tables to be copied and pasted while retaining the format. Please note that when “pasting” text into this site, MSWord seems to work the best.

• An attempt has been made to limit the amount of redundancy. However, cross references to avoid repetition are acceptable. Just a reminder that it is very important that you use the web application template and instructions to guide your responses and provide concise information for each item as appropriate.

• Core data can be accessed at the annual report web site and continues to be updated as information becomes available. It is not necessary to repeat core data in your annual report.

Faculty are invited to participate in a new session of the Faculty Writing Seminar (FWS) to be offered this fall. The FWS meets once a week and functions as a writing group for up to 10 interested faculty. Members of the group participate in two ways:
1) At least once during the semester, each member signs up to receive detailed feedback from other group members on his or her writing.
2) During the weeks when other group members submit work, each member functions as a reader to provide feedback to other writers.

Although the primary motivation for group participation is usually the chance to receive thoughtful, in-depth comments that can be used to prepare an article for publication, members also benefit from the cross-campus, academically focused interactions. In other words, people get to have fun and stretch their minds by reading and discussing the interesting work being done by colleagues across campus.

We will meet at a time that works best for the participants, to be agreed upon later. Scott J. Baxter (University Writing Program) will lead the group, and free copies of Elizabeth Rankin's (2001) book The Work of Writing: Insights and Strategies for Academics and Professionals, will be provided to participants. If you are interested in being part of the FWS, please contact Scott at 777-6381 or scott.baxter@und.edu by Sept. 25. When you contact Scott please let him know what times you are available and also, what times you are not available.-- Scott J. Baxter, Coordinator, University Writing Program, scott.baxter@und.edu, 777-6381

The Board of Student Publications (BOSP), a standing committee within Student Government, is currently accepting applications for a faculty representative.

BOSP is the publisher for student publications on campus, including the Dakota Student. It is responsible for maintaining student publications integrity for the purpose as vehicles for free and responsible inquiry and expression in an academic community.

Nominations are being accepted until Oct. 5 for the UND Center for Community Engagement Civic Engagement awards.

A simple nomination process makes it possible for all deserving community partners, faculty, students, and departments to be considered. A description of the awards and a one page nomination form is available on the Center for Community Engagement website at www.communityengagement.und.edu. Tell us why your nominee is deserving of one of the awards, and we will do the rest. The names of previous award winners can be found on the website as well.

The awards to be given are the Community Partner Award, Public Scholarship Award, Faculty Service-Learning Award, Engaged Department Award, Graduate Civic Engagement Award, and Undergraduate Civic Engagement Award. They will be presented at our annual Stone Soup Awards Program and Luncheon, Friday, Nov. 6. Luncheon reservations can be made by contacting the Center at 777-0675 or e-mailing cce@und.edu. Tickets are $20; $8.50 for students. Proceeds support the awards luncheon and program.-- Lana Rakow, Director, Center for Community Engagement, lanarakow@mail.und.edu, 777-2287

An Apple a Day is Not Enough
Sept. 21, 12:10 to 12:50 p.m., Brown Bag Lunch Session, Memorial Union, Badlands Room or Sept. 22, 5 to 5:40 p.m., Wellness Center, Room 121
Parents have been telling children for years to finish their fruits and vegetables. Have you listened to that advice? Join us as we learn about the proper daily recommendations for fruits and vegetables, why they are so good for us, and easy ways to incorporate them into our everyday lives. MyHealthCenter points will be given for participating in this session. Presenter: Karina Wittmann

GroupWise 7.0: Intermediate
Sept. 22, 1 to 4 p.m., Upson II, Room 361
Students will work with advanced message options; set mail properties; customize message headers; use Web Access interface; create and use rules to automate e-mail responses; set access rights; and work in depth with the Junk Mail folder and archive feature. Presenter: Heidi Strande.

E-mail management
Sept. 23, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., Swanson Hall, Room 17
Whenever records management is brought up, e-mail and the issues surrounding it, are topics for conversation. Come and learn how we manage this valuable resource here at the University of North Dakota.
Presenter: Christopher Flynn

The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom
Freedom Sept. 23, noon to 1 p.m., Brown Bag Lunch Session, Memorial Union, Swanson 16-18
This class will introduce the book, The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom, by Don Miguel Ruiz. In four simple principles (agreements) Ruiz describes how our attitude toward life situations and relationships shapes our experience. Do you want your life to be easier and more positive? Then “don’t take anything personally.” Often self-help books present good ideas which are hard to put into practice. This class will suggest simple ways to use the agreements in both work and home settings. This is a great way to manage intra- and interpersonal conflict. Presenter: Gretchen Graf

Safe Online Practices—Protecting Your Identity and Securing Your Computer
Sept. 24, 9 to 11:30 a.m., Upson II, Room 361
The Internet can provide a wealth of information and give access to valuable financial, business, educational, and entertainment services. However, when connected to the Internet, you and your computer become vulnerable to scammers, identity thieves, viruses, spyware and more. This workshop will provide the information needed to help you protect your identity and computer while online. Presenter: Brad Miller.

PeopleSoft Account Numbers
Sept. 29, 9 to 10 a.m., Memorial Union, Badlands Room
This class will show how to use PeopleSoft Account Number listings and provide clarification on how items should be coded. Presenter: Allison Peyton.

Defensive Driving
Sept. 30, 6 to 10 p.m., Skalicky Tech Incubator, Room 211
This workshop is required by State Fleet for all UND employees who drive State Fleet vehicles on a regular (monthly) basis, received a traffic violation, or had an accident while operating a State Fleet vehicle. Employees are encouraged to bring a family member (spouse and/or dependents). This workshop may also reduce your North Dakota insurance premiums and could possibly remove points from your driving record. Presenter: Dan Lund

Running, Reading, and Reconciling Key Finance Reports in PeopleSoft
Oct. 1, 8 to 9:30 a.m., Gamble Hall, Lanterman Center, Room 9
Prerequisite: Must have previously attended either a “Budgets Overview Inquiry” or “Budget vs. Cash Inquiry” U2 session and must have a PeopleSoft user ID and password for Finance Module. This training provides the tools necessary to navigate through PeopleSoft in order to run, read, and understand PeopleSoft financial reports. Important tips will be provided to help you recognize why, when, and how to reconcile revenue and expense transactions posted to your funds. Troubleshooting tips and tools to help you resolve budgeting errors will also be provided. This session includes hands-on practice activities. Presenter: Tom Swangler.

A yearly seasonal flu vaccination is the best way to prevent the flu. Each year in the United States, on average, more than 200,000 people are hospitalized and 36,000 people die from seasonal flu complications. The flu will slow you down and force you to miss work, class, and your favorite daily activities, and no one has time for that. UND Student Health Services will be offering flu shot clinics across campus for your convenience.

Flu shots and nasal mist will be available. All participants will be asked to show their UND ID’s. Insurance may be filed on site for those with ND BC/BS coverage who present their insurance cards. The cost will be $30 for those who pay by check or cash. Students may also charge to their UND accounts. Please remember to wear short sleeves.

Yearly seasonal flu vaccination will not protect you against Novel H1N1(Swine) flu. The Novel H1N1(Swine) flu vaccine expected in November. Watch for details.

The Wellness Center has announced that all benefitted employees over the age of 55 have an opprotunity to participate in a pilot study on fitness evaluation and strength training.

This pilot research study is being offered through the UND Wellness Center and the department of Physical Therapy. The goal of the study is to encourage weight lifting as a component of a fitness program for the older adult. Increasing muscle strength has been shown to decrease fall risk in adults, improve bone mass, positively affect cardiovascular health and decrease likelihood of certain cancers.

What will you do?
• Complete a pre and post fitness assessment
• Meet with a Physical Therapy student to establish a strength training program
• Participate in physical activity a minimum of three times per week for eight weeks

Are you a Wellness Center Member?
• YES, you are a UND Wellness Center member; each visit will count for the Health Club Credit ($20 reimbursement).
• NO, you are not a UND Wellness Center member; join for a low rate of $40 ($20 per month of the study). If you also join in the Health Club Credit program, you will get $20 in return each month (for attending twelve times a month), so it would equal two free months of Wellness Center membership.

Information Sessions
Want to learn more about the pilot study? Have questions? Attend one of three 30 minute information sessions, learn the details of the program and get your questions answered.

When is the study?
The study will begin Sept. 28 and conclude Nov. 23 and is limited to the first 8 qualified participants. To sign up for this pilot study, please contact Kim Ruliffson at 777-0210 or at kim.ruliffson@mail.und.edu-- Mandy Dockendorf, Coordinator of Fitness, UND Wellness Center, mandy.dockendorf@mail.und.edu, 777-2943

The following position vacancies are available only to regular UND staff employees who have successfully completed their six-month probation period, earn annual and sick leave, receive BC/BS health insurance and TIAA-CREF or ND PERS retirement benefits. Current UND faculty, please contact Human Resources for eligibility.

The second deadline for submission of applications to the Senate Scholarly Activities Committee is Thursday, Oct. 15. Only Research/Creative Activity or Publication applications will be considered at that time. No other applications will be considered at that time.

The third deadline for submission of applications is Friday, Jan. 15, 2010. Travel applications will be considered at that time only for travel that will occur between January 16, 2010, and April 30, 2010. No other applications will be considered at that time.

The fourth deadline for submission of applications is Tuesday, Feb 16, 2010. Research/Creative Activity and Publication grant applications as well as applications for New Faculty Scholar Awards will be considered at that time. No travel applications will be considered at that time.

Friday, April 30, 2010, is the final deadline for submission of travel grant applications. This deadline is for travel occurring between May 1, 2010, and Sept. 15, 2010. No other applications will be considered at that time.

The Committee reminds applicants to carefully prepare their proposals and be specific and realistic in their budget requests. The proposal should be written with a multidisciplinary readership in mind. Avoid technical jargon and undefined abbreviations. Although the SSAC encourages submission of research/creative activity proposals and travel/publication requests, the Committee takes into consideration the most recent SSAC awards granted to each applicant. Priority will be given to beginning faculty and first-time applicants. Requests for research/creative activity awards may not exceed $2,500. The Committee receives requests for funding that far exceed funds available for awards; therefore, please prepare your application carefully.

Application forms are available at Research Development and Compliance (RD&C), 105 Twamley Hall, 777-4278, or on RD&C’s Homepage (on UND’s Homepage under “Research”). A properly signed original and eleven copies of the application must be submitted to RD&C prior to or on the published deadline. Late applications will not be accepted. Applications that are not prepared in accordance with the directions on the forms will not be considered by the Committee. Please feel free to contact any of the current SSAC members for information or guidance when preparing your application. Their names, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses are available on RD&C’s Homepage or by calling RD&C at 777-4278.-- Frank P. Cuozzo, Chair, Senate Scholarly Activities Committee, Anthropology, frank.cuozzo@und.nodak.edu, 777-4618

NSF Small Business Innovation Research Program proposal deadline is Dec. 3

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program (NSF 09-609) stimulates technological innovation in the private sector by strengthening the role of small business concerns in meeting Federal research and development needs, increasing the commercial application of federally supported research results, and fostering and encouraging participation by socially and economically disadvantaged and women-owned small businesses.

The Science Master's Program (NSF 09-607) prepares graduate students for careers in business, industry, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies by providing them not only with a strong foundation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, but also with research experiences, internship experiences, and the skills to succeed in those careers. The program is intended to catalyze the creation of institution-based efforts that can be sustained without additional federal funding. This program is also intended to encourage diversity in student participation so as to contribute to a broadly inclusive, well-trained science and engineering workforce.

Awards made in response to this solicitation will be funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) (Public Law 111-5); i.e, they will include special reporting requirements and other non-standard terms and conditions. Unless otherwise specified, ARRA funding should be considered one-time funding. Letters of Intent are required and are due Oct. 5. Full Proposals are due Nov. 20. The complete NSF announcement can be downloaded at: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2009/nsf09607/nsf09607.htm?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25

In an effort to expand undergraduate research efforts at UND, the Honors Program would like to invite all faculty who have upper-class undergraduates involved in research (or exceptional undergrads engaged in independent study) to encourage students to write a senior Honors thesis. Please have students interested in completing an Honors thesis and presenting at our annual Undergraduate Research Conference this spring. Please contact Brian Schill (777-4402) or Sally Pyle (777-3302) by Oct. 15. More information about the Honors thesis process is available online at: http://www.und.edu/dept/honors/thesis.html. Thank you.-- Brian Schill, Undergraduate Research Coordinator, Honors Program, brian.schill@und.edu, 777-4402